The Sacrificial Theory of Warfare, Chapter XIX:
The Flow of Blood will be Eternal

Carolyn Marvin states that “Blood sacrifice preserves the nation.” Deputy Fuhrer to Adolf Hitler, Rudolf Hess declared that “The stream of blood which flows for Germany is eternal—the sacrifice of German men for their Volk is eternal—therefore Germany will also be eternal.”

The Nazis understood the sacrificial theory of warfare. Not only did they understand it, they embraced and enacted it. No society in history affirmed with such passion the proposition that “blood sacrifice maintains the nation.” According to the Nazis, as long as German men were dying, the volk would be eternal. This is what is meant by the “Thousand Year Reich:” endless, perpetual, eternal blood sacrifice.

The stream of blood contributed by German soldiers was not enough. Others would have to bleed—sacrifice their lives for Germany. Why only German men? Why not mental patients? Why not Jews? Why not Poles? Why not Russians? Why not German civilians as well? World War II would be the greatest blood carnage in history.

Why did Hitler want to conquer the world? So that Germany would be supplied with an endless flow of blood. As long as the blood kept flowing, Germany would live forever. If Germany lived forever, so Hitler would live forever—as historians endlessly record the blood sacrifices Hitler compelled human beings to make—in the name of his beloved Germany.

Best regards,
Richard Koenigsberg, PhD
Director, Library of Social Science

Society depends on the death of its own members

“Society depends on the death of its own members at the hands of the group.” The most important idea since Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection—but more disturbing.

Blood Sacrifice and the Nation: Totem Rituals and the American Flag (Carolyn Marvin)

Based on her study of American history, Carolyn Marvin concludes (1999) that “Blood sacrifice preserves the nation.” Society depends on the death of its own members at the hands of the group. War is a ritual in which the “lifeblood” of the members of a nation are shed.

Everything I’ve learned in my many years of research on Nazi Germany confirms this hypothesis: the purpose of warfare is to keep the blood flowing—so that the nation stays alive.

The stream of blood which for Germany is eternal — the sacrifice of German men for their Volk is eternal — therefore Germany will also be eternal.

In General Douglas MacArthur's “Farewell Speech to the Corps of Cadets at West Point” (May 12, 1962), he stated that while soldiers pray for peace, “always in our ears ring the ominous words of Plato,” that wisest of all philosophers: "Only the dead have seen the end of war." We imagine that there is no end to war—that the blood will flow forever—because we can’t bear to contemplate the death of our nation. The end of war, we imagine, would spell the end of our beloved country.